Sheet-feeding machine.



.P. L. GROSS. v SHEET FBBDING MACHINE. `APBLIOATION FILED JAN.21, 1909.

1,041,747. Y Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l` Kam-0M l F. L. CROSS.' SHEET FBBDING MACHINE.

l APPLICATION L ILBD 11111.21, 1909. l 1,041,747. Patented 0@t.22,19 12.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' I 25a/@712752.- @MMW Y Mw' 21a/WMM f irnn srrs FRANK L. CROSS, O WOLLASTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNUR TOCRQSS PAPER FEEDER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.Y

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

of feathered or fanned out sheets is presented to con'ibing devices which act `to fui.

therfan or feather outv the sheets, thus adi vancing the top sheet to a. greater distance than the sheets beneath 1t, so that the topl sheet may be separated from the bank and .fed to machines or devices for further ma nipnlatng or acting upon itt i In this class of machines it has been customary to throw lthe combersinto operation at regular intervals, and toprovidesheet operated trips for thro-wing the combers out of operation when the front edge Ofjtne sheet has been advanced into position to be acted `upon by the delivery devices. In order that the coinbers may act to properly separate the top sheet and advance it into position to be 4operated on by the .deliverydevices, the bank of sheets-should be so fed to the combers that the interval during which the combers remain in action shall be constant within certain limits. There should, therefore, be no advanceor feeding movej ment of the bank of. sheets solong as the length of comb is norma-l or less than normal. TWhen the comb increases, however, the bank of sheets should be so fed forward as to bring' the front edge of the bank nearer to the comber controlling trip,`and the feeding of the bank should continue until the comb becomes normal.

vIt is the object Aof the present linventionto provide ay simple and improvedmechanism for feeding the bank of sheetslwhich is so controlled that it isinactive to et'fectvany substantial feed of the bank so longas the comb is less than a predetermined length, and is rendered active to feed the bank When the comb exceeds such length.. l

In machines of the type above referred to the length oftime duringl which-the combers should remain in action in order to secure a Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Oct. 22,1912.

Application filed January 21, 1909. Serial No. 473,521.

proper separation of the sheets will vary with the characterlof the paper being opcrated upon, and one `feature of the invention contemplates the provision in4 a machine in which a feathered bank' of sheets is fed to 'combing devices of means for rendering the feeding mechanism substantially inactive to feed the bank when the comb is less than a. predetermined length, which is adjustable to lvary said length in accordance with the character o-f the sheets being operated upon. further feat-ure of the inventioncontemplates the provision in a machine in which the feeding mechanism is inactive to effect a feed of the sheets so long the comb is less than a predetermined length, of means for adjusting the feeding mechanism so that the feeding movement imparted to the bank may be varied in accordance with the character of the sheets beingoperated upon.

A further feature of the invention contemplates operating and controlling,- tlie'mechanism for feeding` a feathered bank of sheets to 'the coinbers by means of a pawl and ratchet held outI of action during the first part of the comb, and a device for arresting or preventing movement of the pawl and 'ratchet which is inactive during the comb,

but isV rendered active when the combers are thrown out of action. When the comb is short, the movement preventing device or stop is rendered active While the pawl and ratchet are still out of action, and prevent movement of the pawl and ratchet to etfect the feed. When the comb is longer than normal, however, the operation of the stop device to render it act-ive is delayed, and there- Vfore a movement ofthe pawl and ratchet to effect the feed is permitted. It is not material to the broader scope of this feature of the invention whether the feedinof of the bank is effected by the pavvl and ratchet during that comb which renders it active, or during the next comb, or during the interval bet-Ween the combs. It is preferred, however, to so arrange and time the parts that the feed of the bank takes place during that comb which renders the pavvl and ratchet active to effect the feed, as -With this construe* tion the feed is proportional to the length of comb, and a more accurate'control of the bank is thus secured.

The invention elec includes certain further features and combinations which will I be referred to in the claims, the advantages i .of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of theinvention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa side elevation of a paper feeding machine embodying the various features of the invention in their preferred forms, and Figs. 2'and 3 are details of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for feeding the bank of sheets.

As shown in the drawings, the bank ofv 'feathered sheets is supported upon a feed the v supply table rests upon feed tapes 6 which pass around the drum 4,; and the bank upon the feed table-rests upon feed tapes 7 whichpass over pulleys Sand 9. The feed of the bank is eected bytrnovements imparted to the drum and feed tapes.

The mechanism for operating the drum and feed tapes comprises a ratchet wheel 10 and an actuating pawl 11.

.connected through suitable gearing l?) with the drum 4- and pulley 8. The pawl is pivoted upon the upper end of'a pawl carrying lever 14 which is .mounted to turn freely about the shaft 12. The lower end of th pawl carrying lever is connected by a link 15 with a rock arm 16. The rock arm is forced toward the left in Fig. 1,l or ina direction to impart a feeding movement to the pawl 11, by fthe action of a spring-17l which surrounds a rod 18 pivoted to the end of the rock arnnand mounted to slide f through a pin 19. The rockA arm is moved toward the right, or in a -direction to. retract the feed of thepawl 11, by means of a crank pin 20 carried on the end of the cam shaft 21 of the machine, and connected with the rock arm by a link 22. The link 22 is connected with .the rock arm through a slot .23 formedin the end of the link and arranged to ride over |ai pin'24 carried by the lever. j

In the construction shown the parts -are so timed that the feedin pawl 11 is inits retracted position at the time that the combers.2 are brought into engagement with the through a crank, the advance movement .of vthe pa'wl will begin at the beginning of the bank of sheets. Since the pawl is operated` comb. I n order that lthe pawl and ratchet may be inactive during the iii-st part of the comb, a guard 25 is provided which acts toy The ratchetwheel is secured upon a shaft 12 which isratchet for a certain part Iof its forward movement. This guard in the construction f shown is in the forni ofa plate which projects laterally from an arm 2 6 and is arranged `,tor overlie the periphery of' the ratchet wheel and prevent lthe engagement of the pawlA with the ratchet wheel. The arm 26 is mounted to turn freely upon the hub of the ratchet wheel, and is held 4in position by means of a clamping screw 27 which passes through a segmental slot 28 formed in the plate. By adjustingA the arm 26 the position of the guard 25 may b e varied to vary the length of time during which the pawl 11 is held'out of engagement with the ratchet at the beginning of the comb.

ln order that the feeding action ofthe pawlv after it engages the yratchet wheel, may 'be varied to vary the extent of movement imparted tothe bank by the pawl, the link 15 is adjustably connectedwith the lowerl end of the pawl carrying leverv 14 by meansof a pivot pin 29 adjustably secured in a slot 30 in the` lower end of the pawl carrying,

lever. In order that there inay'be no substantial feed of :the bank of sheets solong as the i comb is less thanv al predetermined length, means are providedafor preventing movement of the feeding pawl which islinactive during the comb, but is rendered .active when the comber is thrown lout of action. In the construction shown, the means for preventing'the lmovement ofthe feeding pawl comprise a ratchet bar 31 connected with the rock arm 16, and a pawly 32 which is thrown into engagement with the ratchet bar when the comber is thrown out of action. One end 7 of the ratchet bar 3 1` is pivoted 4to the lower endof the rock arm 16,' and the other endv isfsupported upon a pivotallysupported -block 33. The pawl 32v is secured toa rock'shaft 34,' andis connected through a link 35- With one endY of a lever 36 which is pivotally mounted upon the cam shaft 21. The upper end "of the lever 36 is connectedby a pin 3 7 with the arin38 which forms a partof the mecha- L nism for throwing the comber ont" of ac-5 tion. into action, the lever 38 is swung -toiward the left in Fig. l, and raises the pawl 32 sothat right, and the pawl 32 is engaged .withthe teeth ofthe ratchet bar 31, preventing or preventing or arresting the movement feed pawl 11 is Still heldout of action by the guard 25, then the feed pawl will .not engage the ratchet, and therewillbe no 4it is outofengagement with the' ratchet bar'f; 31. When the comberwheel 2 is lthrown out'of action, the lever" 38 swings toward the' frac [riti i15' When the comberV wheel is thrownA 1,041,747 l' a i' `feeding movement of the bank of sheets. If

the comb is so long that the pawl 11 has passed off of the guard before the stop pawl 32 is engaged with the ratchet bar 31, then the feeding pawl` will 4engage the ratchet t1 and willi-advance the ratchet,

and thus e'ifect .a feeding :movement of the `bank of sheets; f This *feeding move-l of theibank of sheets; `This feeding movementv will 'continue untilf the combing wheel is thrown out of action, when the advance of the feeding pawlwill bearrestedby 'they engagement kf fthe) stop -pavl 32 with the trollingintheicombing wheels may be of any fsuitableco i ratchet bar-*31V Thusthe pawl and ratchet .mechanism `will',rei'nain inactive so -long as the comb is shdrt, but will be rendered active to elfect'a feevfd of thebankwhen the comb is long or abo'vei'that for '.wliiclitlieguaid 2 5 The me hanisni for 'arresting and conuct-iemand in the construction shown" -i'sfisdniilar to" the mechanism fully illustratefcl d described in Patent No. 812,260, dated February 173, 1906. The combing rolls ytblQwiil:into action. at

Vregular intervalsf'by Q ca'ins (not shown),

which are carrie'din' tlie'cam shaft 21 and are thrown outfof action when the front edge of the top''sheet engages-and operates the trips, one of whichv is indicated at 39;A .A

Having set forth the nature and object of the invention,and specifically described one form of apparatus in which it may be einbodied, what I claim is l. A sheet feeding machine, having, in

combination, a comber, mechanism for feeding a feathered bank of sheets tothe comber,

means'for rendering the feeding mechanism substantially inactive to feed the bank so long as the comb is less than a predetermined length, and means for adjusting the ,feeding mechanism to vary the feed in accordance with the character of the sheets operated upon, substantially as described.

3. A .sh-eet feeding machine, having, in`

combination. a comber, mechanism for feeding a bank of feathered sheets to the comberl comprising apawl-and ratchet, means for rendering-the pawl and ratchet inactive during a predetermined part of the comb, and

" mea-ns controlled by the sheet advanced by the comber for arresting the action of the pawl and ratchet, substantially as described. 4. A sheet vfeeding machine, having, in

combination, a comber, mechanism-.for feed- 'ing a bank of feathered sheets to the comber comprising a pawl and ratchet, means for holding-the pavvl and ratchet out of action during the first part of the comb, a device for preventing movement off-the pawl and ratchet, and means for rendeiingthe device i inactive during the comb and active when the vcomber is thrown out of action,- substan-l I i' i 75 tially as described. j

5. A 'sheet feeding ,machina having, in combination, a comber, mechanism-.for feeding a. bank of feathered sheets to the comb'er actuating the pawl and ratchet to effect'tlfe rcomprising a pawl ,andratcheh means for feed during the comb, means for rendering the pawl and ratchet inactive during a predetermined part of the comb,"and means'for arresting the feed when the comber is thrown out vof operation, substantially asdescribed.

' 6. A sheet feeding machine, having, iin

combination, a comber', mechanism for feeding a bank of feathered sheets to the somber" comprising ra pawl and ratchet, Va gua-rd for rendering the pawl and ratchet inactive during a predetermined part of the comb, and

means for arresting theA action of the-pawl yand ratchet 4when the comber is tiiroivnout of operation, substantially as described.` 7. A sheet .feedlng machine, having, lin' combination, a comber, mechanism for feed-A ing a bankv of feathered sheets to the comber comprising a pav'vl and ratchet, an adjustable guard for rendering the paWl inactive during the first part of the comb, and means for arresting the feeding action of the pawl at the end ofthe comb, substantially as de-,

scribed.

8. Asheet feeding machine, having, in

combination, a comber, mechanismforfeeding a bank of feathered sheets-tothe comher comprising a pawl and. ratchet mechanisml for reciprocating the pavvl', a guard `for ren-A.

dering the pavvl inactive during a predetermined part of the comb, and means rendered active by the sheet advanced by thecomb'er- .for arresting the feeding action of'the'pawh.

substantially as described.v

9. A sheet feeding machina/having, in

combination, a comber,a.sheet operated trip for controlling the actionjof the c'omber,` mechanism for feeding. afbank of feathered sheets to the'comber comprising a pawl and ratchet, means for rendering the pawl and ratchet inactive during the rst part'offthe comb, a device .for preventing the action of the pawl and ratchet, and connections beiat tween the' comber and said device for rendering said device inactive when the comber is in action and act-ive when the comber is thrown out of action, substantially as described;

10. A sheet feeding machine, having, in combination, a comb Wheel, mechanism for feeding a bank of feathered sheets to the comb Wheel comprising a pawl and ratchet,

means for preventing a feedl of the'bank dur ing the first part of the comb, a device for preventing the feeding action of the pawl and ratchet, and means for rendering said device inactive during the comb and `active when the comb Wheel is thrown out of aci .o tion, substantially as described.

11. A sheet feeding machine, having, in

con'ibination, a comb Wheel, Vmechanism for feeding@ bank of feathered sheets to the comb Wheel comprising a pawl and ratchet,

' means for rendering the pawl and ratchet means. for actua-ting'the pawl and ratchet to Copies .of this patent may be obtained for ve cents cach, by addressing @commissioner-of Patents, Y

Vefectlthe feed daring .the comb, means for rendering.' the pawl and ratchet inactive during the first part of each comb, and means for arrest-ing the feed when the comb wheel is thrown out of operation, .substantially-as described. Y.

13.- A sheet feeding machine, having, in

sel

combinatiol'bl comb` wheel, mechanism for feeding a bank. offeathered' sheetsto the comb wheell comprising a pawl and ratchet,

a guardfor rendern 'the pawl and ratchet u wheel is thrown :out of operation, `substant l tially as described.A Y. Y 'l In testimony whereof I aiiix'rny signature, in presence'of two witnesses. l r

N. MQPHAIL- f- .lwimesesi Washington, CD. Il. 

